1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gurneys and in particular to a veterinary gurney which is actuated by means of a pressurized, lockable gas cylinder to allow the user to adjust to any selected height between fully collapsed and fully extended for the transport, transfer or examination of an animal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Gurneys are well known in the prior art for the transfer of humans from an accident scene to an ambulance to a hospital or emergency room. Gurneys are also used in the veterinary science to transfer animals within the veterinary such as from a cage to the operating table or vice versa. The human structure being somewhat standard as to shape, yet varying in size, gurneys for human use are somewhat standardized. The veterinarian however treats animals of varying size, shape and weight. Therefore the veterinary gurney must easily accommodate various size animals and must also be able to be positioned at a selected height to transfer animals and be collapsible for storage when not in use. In a veterinary clinic, animals may be housed or recuperate in cages or enclosures of varying heights from the floor. They may also be treated at various locations within the veterinary which are at different heights. It is therefore an advantage to be able to adjust the table top associated with the gurney to this preselected height.
Gurneys presently in use use a scissors-like lever action to raise the gurney table vertically and a series of mechanical stops to lock it at preselected heights. However, the mechanical stops used in the gurneys of the present art are not fully adjustable to any height, but rather only to those preset heights dictated by the settings of the mechanical stops. Still further the present gurney tables must be manually lifted and positioned to the preset heights.
An object of the present invention is to provide for a novel veterinary gurney which can be locked at infinitely selectable heights between the fully collapsed position and the fully extended position.
Another object of the present invention is to provide for a novel veterinary gurney in which the gurney table is aided in elevation by means of a pressurized, lockable gas cylinder.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel veterinary gurney in which gas pressure elevation lock is available to the gurney table from the fully collapsed position to the maximum extension of the table.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel veterinary gurney in which the gas pressure assisted elevation is finger actuated, which is more convenient and user friendly than other mechanical locking systems.
A mobile veterinary gurney having a base frame member supporting a mobility means, an elevation scissor frame member mounted on the base frame, and a gurney table mounted on the elevation scissor frame, there being mounted on the elevation scissor frame member a manually actuated, pressurized gas cylinder cooperative with the base frame member for controlling the opening and closing of the elevation scissor frame member and allowing the elevation of the gurney table to be locked at a selected height.